Trolley-operated contact.



J. F. McELROY, DECD.

s. H. McELROY. rxscunux.

TROLLEY OPERATED CONTACT. 1 APPLICATION FILED APR. 29.1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

J. F. McELROY, DECD.

s. H. McELROY,EXECUTRIX. TROLLEY OPERATED CONTACT.

APPLICATION FILED APn.zs. 1912.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- I NVENTOR WITNESSES: i3 XJXM/ f/ @M/r ATTY THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH can, WASHINGTON, D. c

J. F. McELROY, DECD.

s. H. McELROY, EXECUTRIX.

TROLLEY OPERATED CONTACT. APPLICATION FILED APR. 29. 1912.

1,173,593. Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60., WASHINGTON. B4 c ful Improvements UNITED V STATES PATENT QFFIQE- JAMES F. VMCELR-OY, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK; SUSIE H. MCELROY, EXECUTRIX OF SAID JAMES F. MGELROY, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO CONSOLIDATED CAR-HEATING- COM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

TROLLEY-OPERATED CONTACT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES F. MCELROY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, county of Albany, State of New York, have invented certain new and usein Trolley-Operated Contacts, the following being a full, clear, and exact disclosure of the one form of my invention which I at present deem preferable; I

For a detail description of the present form of my invention, reference may be had to the following specification and to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, wherein Figure 1 is a general view of my device in operating condition; Fig. 2 is a vertical section, and Fig. 3 is an elevation of the circuit-closing form thereof; Fig. A is a vertical section and Fig. 5 is an elevation of the circuit-breaking form thereof.

My invention relates to a switch or circuit-controller which is to be operated automatically by the passage of a trolley along a trolley wire. The purpose thereof is to either open or close a circuit which may be used for the operation of a signal or a switch or any other device which it is desired to cause to operate by the passing of a trolley. Y

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

A in Fig. 1 represents each of two ordinary trolley wires suspended under longitudinal strain or tension in the usual manner. E represents a suspension for, the trolley-wire, the same being so arranged as to contain the switch contacts that are to-be operated and'thereby serve as a combined trolleywire switch and suspension. This suspension, instead of comprising a line insulator in the usual form, is composed of metal and the line insulators are placed externally thereto in the span-wire sections B and B at the points 6, b, b, b. By this means the construction is stronger and simpler. Turning to Figs. 2 and. 3, the main supported part of the suspension is shown as a tubular metal shell 40 into which is screwed an adjustable metal part 43 forming a tubular extension thereof and secured thereon by'a set screw 4A. On the upper end of tube 40 is screwed ametal cap 42 in the center of which is screwed an insulating bushing 57 containing a stem 56 with a flat head forming one of the switch contacts. A wire 7 O is connected to this contact 55 and leads thence to the signal or other device to be operated, being, for convenience, connected to a transverse wire 71 (see Fig. 1) which forms the beginning of the circuit wire extending to the point of operation of said signal or other device. A metal rod 50 passes centrally through shell 40 and the adjustable extension thereof 43, the floor 46 of the latter being perforated for the passage of the rod which also passes through a perforated plate 45 near the top of the shell 40 where it is provided with a disk or head 53 which serves as the opposite one of the contacts to be operated. A second disk 52 is secured to rod 50 near its upper end below a shoulder on the rod. A spring 54 is interposed between the said disk 52 and the floor 46 of the extensible section 13. To the lower end of rod 50 is screwed a sleeve which, by means of pin 62 is hinged to the clamping ear 61 on trolley wire A. It will be observed that in this construction the weight of the trolley wire comes immediately on the lower end of rod 50 and is then supported partly by the contact 53 resting on the shoulder formed by the plate 45 and. partly by the disk 52 resting on spring 54 which, in turn, rests on the floor A6 of the extensible section 43. The ratio between the two portions of the weight thus differently supported may be adjusted at will by screw- 40. The force applied by the trolley wheel pressure to operate the contacts can thus be accurately determlned and fixed. For example, if it is assumed that the contacts are to be closed by an upward pressure of eight pounds exerted by the trolley upon the trolley wire, the parts will first be assembled as shown in Fig. 1, with the shell 40 secured to the span wire, the trolley wire secured in clamping ear 61, and the weight of the trolley wire supported by the suspension. Then the section 43 will be adjusted by screwing it in or out of the shell 40 until, by lifting up the trolley wire with a spring scale, it is found that an upward lift of eight pounds on the scale will sufiice to positively operate the contacts by bringing contact 53 into good electrical connection with contact 55. The eight pounds will then be excessweight not supported by the Patented Feb.29,1916.

spring, or the fraction of the trolley-wire weight involved in the operation of the contacts. The remainder of the weight will be transmitted through disk 52, spring 54, adjustable section 43 to the main part 40 of the suspension which is carried by the span wire. The joint between sleeve 62 and ear 61 will permit the tilting of the car by the trolley wheel without causing the rod 50 to bind in its bearings.

In case the operation of the contacts, in the manner aforesaid, serves to break a normally closed circuit, instead of closing a normally open circuit, the contacts will be arranged as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. ,Here the contact 53 on rod 50 is normally seated on a flanged contact disk 47 which is insulated from shell 40 by the sleeve 48 while the cap 42 is mounted on 47 instead of on shell 40. The disk 47 thus forms a contact normally connectedto contact 53 to close the circuit at that point, and the lifting of 53 will break the circuitby its separation from 47. A sheet of insulation 4E9 on the inside of cap 42 prevents the contact 53 from striking the cap to connect therewith electrically. In either construction the contacts are sealed in a tightly closed chamber,

' and in either case the operating weight can be fixed, as above described, at any desired value.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A combined trolley wire switch and suspension comprising a main supporting member, a rod supported in slid-able relation with said supporting member, and provided with a contact, a complemental contact carried by said supporting member, means for connecting said rod with a trolley Wire, and means within said main supporting member cooperating with said rod to sustain the weight of said trolley wire.

2. A combined trolley Wire switch and suspension comprising a main supporting member, insulated suspension means for said supporting member, a rod supported in slidable relation with said supporting member and provided with a contact, a complemental contact carried by said supporting member, means for connecting said rod with a trolley Wire, and means within said main supporting member cooperating with said rod to sustain the weight of said trolley wire.

3. A combined trolley wire switch and suspension comprising a main supporting member, a rod supported in slidable relation with said supporting member and provided with a contact, a complemental contact carried by said supportingmember, means for connecting said rod with a trolley wire, means Within said main supporting member cooperating with said rod to sustain the weight of said trolley wire, said means including a spring encircling said rod and engagmg said supporting member. 4. A combined trolley wire' switch and suspension comprising a main supporting member, a rod supported in slidable relation with said supporting member and provided with a contact, a complemental contact carried by said supporting member, means for connecting said rod with a trolley w1re,'

means within said main supporting member cooperating with said rod to sustain the Weight of said trolley wire, said means 1neluding a spring encircling said rod and engaging said supporting member, and

means for adjusting the tension of said extending through said supporting member and provided with a contact, a complemental contact carriecl by said supporting member, means for connecting said rod with a trolley wire, and means cooperating with said rod for upholding the weight of the trolley wire partly on each of the sections of said. main member.

7; A combined trolley wire switch and suspension comprising a main supporting member formed of adjustable sections, means for upholding the weight of atrolley wire partly on each of said sections,.and an electric contact carried by said sections and arranged to be operated by a movement of the trolley wire.

8. A combined trolley wire switch and suspension comprising a' main supporting member formed of sections, a movable rod extending through said supporting member and provided with a contact, a complemental contact carried by said supporting member, means for connecting said rod with a trolley wire, and means cooperating with said rod for upholding the Weight of the trolley wire partly on each of the sections of said main member, said means including a spring inclosed within said supporting member and encircling said rod. V

9. A combined trolley wire switch and suspension comprising a main supporting member formed of adjustable telescoping sections, a movable rod extending through said supporting member andprovided with a contact, a complemental contact carried by said supporting member, means for con- 10. A combined trolley Wire switch and suspension comprising a main supporting member formed of adjustable telescoping sections, a rod supported in slidable relation with said supporting member and pro- 7 vided with a contact, a'complemental contact carried by said supporting member,

means for connecting said rod with a trolley wire, and means Within said main supporting member cooperating with said rod to sustain the weight of said trolley wire.

11. A combined trolley wire switch and suspension comprising a main supporting member formed of sections, a movable rod extending through said supporting member and provided with a contact, a complemental contact carried by said supporting member, means for connectingsaid rod with a trolley wire, and means for adjustably dividing the weight of the trolley-wire between said rod and said supporting member.

12. A combined trolley wire switch and suspension comprising a main supporting member formed of sections, a movable rod extending through said supporting member and provided With a contact, a complemental contact carried by said supporting member, means for connecting said rod with a trolley wire, a spring for sustaining a predetermined portion of the weight of the trolley wire, and means for adjusting the tension of the spring.

13. In a combined trolley-switch and suspension anelectric contact, an operating rod connected to. the trolley wire and movable therewith, of two disks thereon one seated by the weight of the trolley wire on the main support of the suspension, a spring between said support and one of the disks for relieving the other disk of a portion of the weight of the trolley Wire, and means for adjusting the tension of the spring.

14. A combined trolley-switch and suspension comprising a tubular shell having a contact therein, a tubular extension adjustably connected thereto, a rod slidable through the shell and extension and pro vided with a contact, a trolley wire support carried by the rod, a disk carried by the Copies of rod, and a spring interposed between the disk and the base of the extension.

15. A combined trolley suspension and switch comprising a tubular shell having an upper contact compartment and a lower spring compartment, said compartments being separated by a partition, a contact in the contact compartment, a cap for sealing the contact compartment, a rod slidable through the spring compartment and extending into the contact compartment and carrying a contact, a spring in the spring compartment and coiled about the rod, and trolley engaging means carried by the rod.

16. A combined trolley suspension and switch comprising a shell divided into an upper contact compartment and a lower spring compartment, a tubular extension adjustably connected to the spring compartment and having a closed base, a stationary contact in the contact compartment, a rod slidable through the shell and extension and projecting into the contact compartment and provided with a contact, a spring seated on the base of the extension and coiled about the rod, a spring abutmentcarried by the rod, and trolley engaging means carried by the rod.

- 17. A combined trolley suspension and switch comprising a shell having an upper contact compartment and a closed base, a contact in said compartment, a cap for sealing the contact compartment, a rod slidable through the shell and projecting into the compartment and provided with a contact, trolley engagingmeans carried by the rod, and means in said shell opposing movement of the rod in one direction.

18. A combined trolley suspension and switch comprising a shell closed at the top and bottom, a stationary contact on the upper portion ofthe shell, a rod slidable longitudinally thereof and having a contact for engaging the stationary contact, a spring coiled about the rod and opposing movement of the same in one direction, and trolley engaging means carried by the rod.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, before two subscribing witnesses, this 26th day of April, 1912.

' JAMES F. MoELROY.

Vitnesses:

HERBERT A. GAULKINS, FREDK L. MANNING.

this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

